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Red Devil
4,239 posts
77 months
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GetCarter said: Just a heads up, the road to Applecross will be closed Sat 12th due to a cycle race (it opens early afternoon, but there are still shed loads of bikes on the road - progress S L O W) Don't get me started!  We must have encountered nearly 100 (recreational not racing) cyclists, singly and in small groups, strung out over several miles of the A836 north of Lairg. Now don't get me wrong, they have as much right to the road as we do, but some of them were completely unaware/clueless. On a single track road coming up to a passing place what is the point of deliberately blocking a convoy of cars by speeding up so that we all have to inch past them once the road narrows again? Through their sheer stupidiy creating an unnecessary and avoidable hazard. One of these muppets ended up nearly crashing into the rider in front. The photo of him in the act of falling off his bike is priceless.
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Allyc85
3,685 posts
55 months
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F3RNANDO said: Awesome videos, thats what driving is all about  Red Devil said: In four successive years this is the first time we have had any significant rain (we had just one wet 3 hour spell on the Saturday morning in 2010 - a cold, windy, and sodden John O'Groats is spectacularly depressing!).
The major advantage of going that early in the year is the complete absence of that dreaded and ferocious foe, the Highland Biting Midge! June/July/August are its peak months. Pack plenty of repellant. The Garden Midge (which also bites but much less severely) has a longer season from mid May to mid October. Are any areas less prone to the Midges, its just I dont always react well if bitten and swell up! 
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GetCarter
16,707 posts
148 months
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Allyc85 said: Are any areas less prone to the Midges, its just I dont always react well if bitten and swell up! Mrs Get has a page on the midge http://www.ionalister.com/midge.htmAvon Skin So Soft will keep them from getting purchase (it's very oily), and 'Smidge' actually works - it's the ONLY repellant that woks (believe me, I've tried them all!) http://2010.midgeforecast.co.uk/index.php/shopThere is a 100% effective answer of course... visit in the 8 months they are not here!
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Red Devil
4,239 posts
77 months
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GetCarter said: Guess why we hold our annual event in April! 
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vrsmxtb
1,207 posts
25 months
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Are the roads likely to be getting busy with caravans etc in the first week of July. We're heading up there in the MX5.
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vrsmxtb
1,207 posts
25 months
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Can anyone recommend an "interesting" route across from Edinburgh to Fort william area?
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Red Devil
4,239 posts
77 months
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vrsmxtb said: Can anyone recommend an "interesting" route across from Edinburgh to Fort william area? Forth Bridge M90 exit J4 B914 A823 Powmill A977 Rumbling Bridge A823 A91 Yetts o'Muckhart A823 via Glen Devon and Gleneagles A822 to Crieff A85 via Glen Ogle to Crianlarich A82 to Glencoe B863 loop around Loch Leven A82 to Fort William or, if you have time and don't mind the extra mileage, after the Loch Leven loop Ardgour- Corran ferry across Loch Linnhe A861 A830 A82 That route brings you into Fort William from the north instead of south.
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kiwifraser
4,260 posts
63 months
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Red Devil said: vrsmxtb said: Can anyone recommend an "interesting" route across from Edinburgh to Fort william area? Forth Bridge M90 exit J4 B914 A823 Powmill A977 Rumbling Bridge A823 A91 Yetts o'Muckhart A823 via Glen Devon and Gleneagles A822 to Crieff A85 via Glen Ogle to Crianlarich A82 to Glencoe B863 loop around Loch Leven A82 to Fort William or, if you have time and don't mind the extra mileage, after the Loch Leven loop Ardgour- Corran ferry across Loch Linnhe A861 A830 A82 That route brings you into Fort William from the north instead of south. Great answer! 
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GetCarter
16,707 posts
148 months
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vrsmxtb said: Are the roads likely to be getting busy with caravans etc in the first week of July. We're heading up there in the MX5. Yep... August is worse mind. The great thing about early July is that it's light REALLY early, so if you can bear an early start you can drive for hours without seeing a single car. Caravans/Motorhomes don't seem to wake up & set off till 10.00. What little 'rush hour' there is, is between 7 and 8 as the trades are en route. So between 4 and 7 = heaven, 8 and 10 = v. quiet. ETA I'm talking about North West Highlands here, obviously not near any of the towns.
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vrsmxtb
1,207 posts
25 months
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Thanks for the info and route suggestions.
Do you think it'd be necessary to pre-book the Mallaig-Armadale ferry? I'm just not sure what time we'd be aiming for.
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GetCarter
16,707 posts
148 months
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vrsmxtb said: Thanks for the info and route suggestions.
Do you think it'd be necessary to pre-book the Mallaig-Armadale ferry? I'm just not sure what time we'd be aiming for. Hmmm that's a tricky one as it's not a big ferry. I'd book as it's July. If you miss it, it's only two hours drive to the Skye bridge at Kyle. (And it takes in the road past the 'Five Sisters' that is always voted the best road in Britain by all the biking mags)
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ukkid35
1,571 posts
42 months
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The other option is the Glenelg Isle of Skye Ferry. The road to the ferry is great, but if you get the timing wrong like we did, then the ferry may be out of action due to the low tide. 
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Chris77
528 posts
63 months
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Was up in scotland last week, 1200 miles of bliss  been going for years, love it.  I remeber the first time I drove that road it was sigle track and I was in my 205 1.9, Happy days  got an old pic the same as above somewhere will have to dig it out
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